Everlyn Kemboi, a senior from Utah Valley University via Kenya, won the 10,000-meter run at the NCAA West Preliminaries track and field meet Thursday night in Sacramento. Utah collegians took three of the top four places.
Kemboi’s winning time was 32:05.56, giving her a five-second cushion over runner-up Annamaria Kostarellis of Baylor. Utah’s Emily Venters, who has the fastest time in the nation so far this season, was third in 32:20.81 and BYU’s Aubrey Frentheway fourth in 32:28.85.
The top 12 finishers automatically advance to the finals of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships which will be held in two weeks in Austin, Texas. Kemboi’s UVU teammate, Mazzie Melaney, was 14th in 33:02.30.
As expected, BYU All-American and school record holder Claire Seymour easily advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals in the 800-meter run. So did junior Meghan Hunter, a junior from Provo. Seymour, who has the second fastest time in the nation so far this season, won her heat and posted the day’s fifth fastest time, 2:05.38. Hunter clocked a time of 2:05.81, finishing second in her heat and 11th overall.
BYU’s Ashton Riner, the defending NCAA javelin champion, advanced to the NCAA championships by placing fifth in Thursday’s preliminary round with a throw of 182 feet, 3 inches. She set the school record of 198 feet last spring.
BYU qualified seven for Thursday’s first round of the 1,500-meter run; only freshman Riley Chamberlain advanced. She finished 22nd overall but third in her heat, with a time of 4:18.68. Taylor Rohatinsky, a freshman from Lone Peak High, placed 22nd overall and had a faster time (4:18.68) than two of the qualifiers. That’s because the top five in each heat automatically advance, plus the next four fastest times. One of those qualifiers was Utah’s Simone Plourde, who transferred from BYU in 2021. She had the 24th fastest time (4:18.87) but advanced because she finished fourth in her heat. Plourde’s teammate, fellow Canadian Erin Vringer, also qualified for Friday’s quarterfinal round with a 19th place finish and a time of 4:18.02.
Most of Wednesday’s action consisted of first-round heats for the women, who will return for the region finals Saturday to determine who will advance to the NCAA championships. The men return to action Friday. BYU will be led by Kenneth Rooks, who has the fastest time in the world this season for the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and Casey Clinger and Brandon Garnica, who are doubling back for the 5,000-meter semifinals after qualifying for the NCAA championships in the 10,000 on Thursday.
Here’s how Utah collegians fared in the first round of the NCAA West Preliminaries (Q = qualified for Friday’s quarterfinals)
Javelin
5th — Ashton Riner (BYU) 182-3. Q
13th — Kelsi Oldroyd (UVU) 168-8
26th — Jessica Thompson (BYU) 154-0
28th — Djamilliah Paepke-Chiile (USU) 152-4
39th — Valerie Clark (USU) 144-0
44th — Alyssa Hansen (Weber State) 136-4
Shot put
26th — Jessica Thompson (BYU) 51-9 3/4
Pole vault
16th — Rebekah Ross (BYU) 13-6 3/4
36th — Maren Garnett (BYU) 12-6 3/4
— Cailee Faulkner (BYU) NH
Long jump
29 — Jentry Skidmore (SUU) 19-7 1⁄2
100-meter hurdles
18th — Adaobi Tabugbo (BYU) 13.33
41st — Abbey Bryant (USU) 14.04
1,500-meter run
19th — Erin Vringer (Utah). 4:18.02 Q
22nd — Riley Chamberlain (BYU) 4:18.68 Q
23rd — Taylor Rohatinsky (BYU)
24th — Simone Plourde (Utah) 4:18.87 Q
25th — Carmen Alder (BYU) 4:19.81
27th — Heather Hanson (BYU) 4:20.59
31st — Alissa Fielding (BYU) 4:21.64
40th — Jacey Farmer (BYU) 4:23.56
48th — Everlyn Kemboi (UVU) 5:12.74
100-meter dash
37th — Jaslyn Gardner (BYU) 11.63
800-meter run
7th — Claire Seymour (BYU) 2:05.38. Q
11th — Meghan Hunter (BYU). 2:05.81. Q
26th — Josefine Eriksen (Utah) 2:07.21
47th — Mattalyn Geddes (USU) 2:10.33
400-meter hurdles
14th — Dinedye Denis (Utah) 58.36 Q
23rd — Harley Daniel (Utah) 1:01.17
200-meter dash
25th — Marianne Barber (BYU) 23.60
10,000-meter run
1st — Everlyn Kemboi (UVU) 32:05.56 Q
3rd — Emily Venters (Utah) 32:20.81 Q
4th — Aubrey Frentheway (BYU) 32:28.85 Q
14th — Mazzie Melaney (UVU) 33:02.30
16th — Micaela Rivera (USU) 33:14.18
19th — Analee Weaver (USU) 33:23.81
22nd — Morgan Jensen (Utah) 33:28.01
26th — Rylie Lusk (Weber State) 33:33.12
35th — Billie Hatch (Weber State) 34:05.24